Credentialing and Clinical Privileges

Credentialing and Clinical Privileges
With an ever-widening scope of practice and professional responsibility, more nurse practitioners are obtaining hospital privileges. Continuity of care is improved when nurse practitioners and other advanced practice registered nurses who care for patients in primary care settings can follow their patients and their families when they are admitted to the hospital. Complexities of care, coordination of care, and transitions into and out of the community during illness require a transparent and logical process that allows providers to gain access to the patients they have cared for and know best. Coordination of care…show more content…

In 1983, the Joint Commission opened medical staff membership to non-physician health care professionals, including APRNs, whom the Commission referred to as “limited license practitioners”. Hospitals may decide not to credential and privilege APRNS; that is, their bylaws may not address any non-physician providers at all. If hospital bylaws do address APRNs, the bylaws may include provisions for supervision of APRNS that are more restrictive than state laws. When physicians are required to supervise APRNs, the physician’s workload and perceived liability increase. When physicians are required to cosign all APRN orders, clinical care can be delayed (Brassard & Smolenski, 2011).
Several hospitals have welcomed APRNS, developing strategies to integrate and capitalize on their contributions. A few hospitals have set up committees to facilitate credentialing and incorporating APRNs within the institution while recognizing their unique contributions. These efforts help to educate all hospital staff on the valuable contribution APRNs make to the health care system and pave the way for full integration (Summers, 2012).
Many benefits of APRN hospital privileging include expanding consumer choice and access to care, improving continuity of care and inter-professional collaboration, increasing cost-effectiveness, and decreasing patient stressors. Patients transitioning from hospitals to community care benefit when APRNs have hospital privileges

Privilege by definition is a special right, benefit, and immunity granted or attainable to only a specific person or group of people. As I went through the privilege activity, I realized many simple aspects of life are enormous privileges to others. Examples of privilege include getting an education, having the ability to visualize and vocalize, and the ability to travel or expand your experiences. In a society compiled with privileges, the wealthy are favored and privilege emerges inversely in many…

gatekeeper of patient safety falls under the realm of credentialing. Hospitals have a legal obligation to evaluate the clinical competence of licensed practitioners requesting to provide patient care services within their facility. The process of completing a thorough background check is without deviation from defined policy and procedures. It is imperative that credentialing professionals know and understand the basic concept of credentialing (obtaining, verifying, and assessing the qualifications…

“White privilege refers to the fact that in many societies, “white” people have access to greater power, authority, and privileges, than non-white people” (Robbins et al. 2013:81). It goes beyond letting white people get away with more than other races; it also discriminates against them. This is well illustrated by the history of white privilege in America and how it changed over time (Nkomo & Ariss 2013) and how white privilege is used to benefit white people (Blum n.d). Without white privilege…

Three issues or trends I see that are important with regard to credentialing are reimbursement, malpractice and education. Within each issue are opportunities for the advance practice nurse (APN) to grow in knowledge and participate in change. It is important to understand why each one effects credentialing for the APN.
Reimbursement for the advanced practice nurse (APN) is improving but how they fit into reimbursement systems is vey important. One question that arises is if the APN should…

Intended Role of Licensing and Credentialing
Healthcare professionals display their licensing, certifications, diplomas (e.g., credentials) on their office walls as evidence of their qualification to provide quality of patient care and/ organizational leadership. State and federal government agencies establish operating standards and, grant licensure to professionals who have attained applicable expertise as required by government mandates (Bowblis & Lucas, 2012). Health organizations often encourage…

Privilege
Privilege applies to certain people who benefit more than other people in the same social, political or economic spaces (Henderson, L., week 1, 2014). Somebody might be privileged only because that person is wealthier or more powerful compared to the others. Privilege is an advantage enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantages of most. “Privilege is expressed as an advantage based on status or rank that is used to maintain status quo” (Collins, J., et al., 2011). Privilege can applies…

only 80% of hospitals nationwide had adequate nurse staffing levels (American Nurse Credentialing Center, 2011, p. 8). To address this issue a taskforce was formed within the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). Through an initial study of 165 hospitals, the AAN determined the characteristics of healthcare organizations that were magnetically attracting and retaining nurses as employees (American Nurse Credentialing Center, p. 9). In this study the AAN found “Forces of Magnetism” that contributed…

Personal Privilege
Personal privilege is privilege one receives based on unearned qualities such as skin color, gender, socioeconomic status, demographics, or cultural characteristics (Lee, 2007). Being White and growing up in a predominately White community limited my exposure to other cultures and races. While I was limited to my exposure to other cultures and races I have become aware of White privilege and who it influences interactions with different races and cultures. Whites tend to view “their…

How will your knowledge of critical appraisal of studies (i.e. clinical research articles) allow you to contribute to the goals of your employing hospital or facility when you graduate as an advance degree nurse?
Medicine is often called an art rather than a science. While I do not agree with this assessment entirely, because I believe in the value of empirically-gathered evidence, I do understand why many patients are frustrated by what often seems like contradictory studies supporting different…